Human dietary supplement linked to longer life in mice

An over-the-counter supplement designed to ease osteoarthritis prolonged the lifespan of lab mice by nearly a tenth, scientists said Tuesday. This would translate into an average eight-year longevity gain if the result could be repeated in humans, Swiss researchers reported in the journal Nature Communications. A team led by Michael Ristow at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich used a common dietary supplement called glucosamine on laboratory mice after testing it on worms. It is widely sold over the counter as a supplement to combat osteoarthritis, the commonest form of arthritis, although studies into its efficacy have thrown up mixed results.